Although only a handful of Canadian shows were routinely watched by large numbers of Canadian viewers, homegrown fare reached millions internationally through sales to foreign countries and lucrative syndication deals.

CBC News editor-in-chief says the public broadcaster is now thinking of itself as a content provider with the objective to provide news and information to Canadians via their network or platform of choice.

FRIENDS encourages the CRTC to grant carriage fees to over-the-air broadcasters in return for commitments to local and drama programming and to reinstate a policy of requiring a percentage of revenue to be spent on the production of Canadian programming.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission hearings on over-the-air television will discuss several contentious issues such as carriage fees for conventional broadcasters and funding for Canadian drama.

Richard Stursberg, executive vice-president of English television, says CBC's ability to maintain its cultural responsibilities is being compromised by declining revenue from advertising and government.

Mark Starowicz, executive producer of CBC's documentary production, unit tells a P.E.I. crowd that funding cuts at CBC are leaving Canada in danger of raising a generation ignorant of its own culture and heritage.

Senior CBC management answer questions from Parliamentarians on issues such as local newscasts, new technologies, the CBC mandate, controversial programming decisions, and public broadcasting's place in the world.

Friends recommends that funding for Canadian public broadcasting should be increased to at least 0.14% of GDP, and in return for reducing, or eliminating its reliance on advertising revenues, the CBC's public funding should be increased.

Former CBC anchor says the lust for audience and commercial appeal ominously blurs the distinctions between private and public broadcasting; meaning Canadians will get less probing journalism and current affairs coverage.

FRIENDS says poor decisions such as pre-empting the national news for a failed American reality show and locking out employees for seven weeks last summer show that there's something rotten in the leadership of the CBC.

FRIENDS says that the obvious mistake to broadcast The One raises questions about the television-production experience of CBC senior management and demonstrates the need for reform of the leadership selection process.

Op-ed says that the CBC should restore transmitted television signals in Kamloops, not just because Canadians depend on an unbiased source of news, but because the CBC must live up to its public obligations.

CBC's executive VP in charge of English television says the pubcaster is facing financial pressures unprecedented in its history and that ad revenues are needed to create, produce and broadcast Canadian content.

Blog posting: CBC insider says CBC management has so much riding on the success of The One that it is sacrificing news programming time -- during this Middle East crisis -- for pushing an American reality show.

TVOntario announces a new Strategic Agenda for Ontario's public broadcaster, including a transition to digital, a content strategy that responds government priorities and and new directions in revenue generation.

Knowlton Nash comments on recent CBC programming decisions: "If the CBC really wants reality TV, let people get the reality of what's happening in the world by turning on The National at 10 p.m. every night"

Canadian Journalism Foundation honours Knowlton Nash with its lifetime achievement award - he is 'apprehensive' about the CBC's decision to bump the newscast he famously served as anchor from 1978 through 1988.

As Senate considers broadcaster's long-term strategy, CBC executives have been forced into damage control in the wake of public reaction to The National being bumped for an American Idol knockoff reality show.

FRIENDS says the current senior management of CBC values ad revenue and audience rating points more than serving Canadians and this is having a huge impact on the kinds of programs CBC TV is presenting.

After a three month period from March to May 2005, when CBC's English Television network Canadian content levels fell below minimum legal requirements, CBC-TV's CanCon levels have risen to 82% in the three months from December 2005 to February 2006.

Columnist states that while Canada needs a vibrant, public source of TV programming, the CBC has been so wounded by budget cuts, bad management and burgeoning competition that many Canadians see little worth saving anymore.

Note to CBC staff from CBC President Robert Rabinovitch concerning a CRTC study ordered by the Minister of Canadian Heritage on the future environment the Canadian broadcasting system, a forthcoming CRTC review of over-the-air television, and the deferral by one year of the renewal of the CBC's broadcasting licence.

Federal Heritage Minister Bev Oda has asked the CRTC to determine what impact rapidly changing technology will have on the broadcast industry's future - move expected to delay the CBC's renewal licence for a year.

Remarks by Ian Morrison, FRIENDS' spokesperson to the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development/UNESCO international seminar on editorial independence and public accountability - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

CRTC sides with CBC, decides TSN cannot broadcast more than one hockey game nationally at the same time; CBC had argued competition from TSN for advertising revenues would make it uneconomical for the public broadcaster to air sports on TV.

Transcript of question by Liberal opposition critic for Canadian Heritage and response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage concerning parliamentary disclosure and debate of the terms of the government’s rumoured mandate review of the CBC.

Transcript of questions by Liberal opposition critic for Canadian Heritage and responses by the Minister of Canadian Heritage concerning funding of the Canada Council for the Arts and the commercialization of CBC television.

CBC attempting to enhance its presence in documentary programming with the purchase of additional 53 percent stake in The Documentary Channel; CBC says financial arrangement, including how CBC will pay for the purchase, will not be released.

Columnist argues that the expiration of the NHL's TV contract with CBC should be an opportunity for Canadian taxpayers to voice their concerns about the way the Toronto-focused CBC covers hockey and the shortage of regional games.

CBC creates new management position for "factual entertainment" programming, which will oversee the development, production, acquisition and adaptation of talk shows, game shows, lifestyle and reality programs.

Transcript of comments by Liberal opposition critic for Canadian Heritage and responses by Conservative Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage concerning parliamentary grant to CBC and other aspects of Canadian cultural funding.

CBC ranks considerably ahead of CHUM, Rogers, CanWest Global and CTV in second annual corporate reputation survey conducted by Leger Marketing in collaboration with Marketing; almost three-quarters of Canadians have a "good opinion" of the brand.

CBC's The Current, Dispatches, Definitely Not the Opera, Ideas, Outfront As It Happens and some regional programming are all now available as downloadable podcasts on computers or portable music players.

Table prepared by Canadian Media Research Inc. showing percentage of CBC airtime devoted to Canadian and foreign content by program type and by quarter in the 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06 broadcast years.

Article says Conservative mandate review of the CBC will not be conducted by a parliamentary committee involving former Alliance culture critic Jim Abbott; FRIENDS notes that Conservative policy on public broadcasting has changed significantly since 2004 election.

Charts prepared by Canadian Media Research Inc. showing audience share of Canadian vs. foreign drama series on English television from fall 2003 to fall 2005, and comparing audience for various types of Canadian vs. foreign programming on French and English television in the 2004/05 broadcast year.

Article says Conservative government will allow CRTC to conduct television industry review, but under federal Heritage Department direction; CBC licence renewal to be delayed until industry review complete.

Conservative government Accountability Act will mean CBC is subject to access-to-information rules and investigations by the auditor-general, raising concerns about the confidentiality of journalistic sources.

Columnist warns that recent moves by the Australian government to abolish staff-elected board member of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation will lead to increased government influence and a reduction in impartial and culturally relevant content and information.

UK government white paper indicates BBC Board of Governors will be replaced by an executive board, and by the BBC Trust, which will represent viewers and to which the executive board will be accountable.

Column chronicles year of bad programming decisions at CBC, links recent cancellation of critically-acclaimed drama series with delays resulting from management decision to lock out employees in fall 2005.

CBC vice-president of English television, Richard Stursberg, defends CBC President's performance in face of criticism over cancellation of three drama series; announces ratings floor for new drama and documentary programs.

Producers confused by CBC presentation on drama expectations; columnist laments recent CBC drama cancellations, notes that Canadian shows on CTV have ratings advantage from adjacent U.S. programs that CBC does not have, rejects idea that CBC and private sector are competitors.

Column says Kamloops was not being well served by CBC even before a private broadcaster's disaffiliation from the public broadcaster on February 27 made it no longer possible to access English television over the air.

Stursberg announces “audience-first” programming strategy at CBC, where new Canadian drama programs must attract a minimum of 1 million viewers; FRIENDS critical of fact that both private networks are within “Cancon-catching distance” of the federally-funded public broadcaster.

Text of Toronto Star columnist's blog discussing the accuracy of data on the number of hours of prime time drama aired by CBC in comparison to CTV, updated to show that figures provided by CBC to counter data released by FRIENDS/ACTRA were misleading and do not allow an "apples to apples" comparison.

The new Conservative Heritage Minister has reportedly instructed staff to research the best way to approach a mandate review of the CBC; article speculates that mandate could be narrowed and funding cut.

CBC Television unveils new process for developing and commissioning Canadian programming, identifies goals to include faster turn-around times for new program pitches and an improved ratio of programs developed to programs produced.

The Quebec government says it plans to "modernize" the province's public broadcaster by cutting one third of its staff, outsourcing Montreal production to the private sector, and discontinuing various "secondary and peripheral" activities.

Viewers in Kamloops, British Columbia that do not subscribe to cable or satellite services will lose access to CBC programming when CFJC-TV, a private broadcaster, terminates its 49-year affiliation with the CBC on Feb. 27.

FRIENDS responds to article criticizing CBC spending, notes that editorial independence from government and elected officials must be maintained to distinguish CBC as a public rather than a state broadcaster.

After five-month search, CBC recruits executive formerly in charge of lifestyle programming at Alliance-Atlantis to replace Slawko Klymkiw as executive director of English-language programming; FRIENDS says position is critical given senior management's lack of programming and scheduling experience and was left vacant too long.

Responses by federal political parties to questions on Canadian cultural and communications policy posed by assistant professor of Communication Studies at the University of Windsor; lack of media attention to issues such as CBC funding, foreign ownership limits, Canadian content regulations and support for the arts called a "cultural blackout of incredible democratic significance."